White House Attempts to Avert Rail-Worker Strike

By

Josh Mitchell

Updated Oct. 7, 2011 4:33 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The White House, in an unusual but not unprecedented move, has stepped into an impasse between major freight railroads and labor unions, attempting to avert a potential strike as early as December.

The Obama administration appointed a "presidential emergency board" Thursday to resolve stalled contract talks that began in early 2010 and cover about 94,000 workers, roughly two-thirds of the industry's unionized...